Lighting control has long been one of many systems that Oldsmar, Fla.–based S&S Electric installs for its customers. But in the last several months, vice president Shawn Smith has seen the technology in a new light—specifically, a green one.

“We've heard people talk about green options,” says Smith. “I get a call about it once a week. They're asking, ‘How do we get a green home?'”

Typically, says Smith, lighting control is sold to home buyers as a convenience. But as environmental consciousness gains momentum, those same buyers are seeking to be as Earth-friendly as they can, and lighting control is more marketable than ever. “Buyers ask, ‘What can we do to make our homes green?' They're not really aware that lighting control is an option.”

In fact, when it comes to marketing and selling energy-efficient, digital home technology, lighting control is a reasonable place to start. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program:

Consumption for all lighting in the United States is estimated to be about 22 percent of total electricity generated.

Lighting accounts for one-fifth of national electricity consumption.

It costs approximately $58 billion a year to light homes, offices, streets, and factories.

Plants can be old or new, transit mix or central mix, large or small. But they all have one thing in common: How well they are managed has a significant effect on their overall efficiency. A simple definition of batch plant efficiency is the ratio of (a) the cost of inputs (employee hours, materials, energy, equipment, etc.) to (b) the revenue generated by sales of concrete. If you divide B by A and the result is less than one, you probably should begin planning your career change.

Description:The Long Island Building & Facility Maintenance Show is positioned to serve the needs of Facility Management and Maintenance professionals from across this region. Our free two-day trade show also features seminars designed to bring the latest information.